Quantitative Synthetic MRI in Children: Normative Intracranial Tissue Segmentation Values during Development

Abstract

A pediatric data base of normal intracranial tissue volumes using a single sequence and rapid software analysis has been compiled and correlates with previously published data. This provides a framework for clinical interpretation of quantitative synthetic MR images during development. Improved age-based segmentation algorithms in young children are needed.

Feasibility of a Synthetic MR Imaging Sequence for Spine Imaging

“…Other studies have since assessed the clinical feasibility of synthetic MR imaging across different neurologic conditions 8,9 such as multiple sclerosis 10 and metastatic disease of the brain 11 and in the pediatric population. [5][6][7]12,13 This technique has also been recently used for musculoskeletal imaging. A recent study, focusing on imaging of the normal knee, 14 assessed the feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of synthetic MR imaging compared with conventional MR imaging as well as the utility of synthetic quantitative T2 maps of the different knee structures compared with conventional T2 mapping sequences.…”

“…This offers the possibility of shortening the study duration and the option of relying on more objective parameters to reach a diagnosis. Recently, this emerging technique has been applied to several brain diseases in adults 3,4 and children, [5][6][7] but to our knowledge, it has never been used in spine imaging. The purpose of this work was to apply synthetic MR imaging to the spine 6 and spinal cord and to compare the overall image quality, diagnostic confidence, and lesion conspicuity produced by synthetic MR imaging with conventional sequences.…”

Validity of SyMRI for Assessment of the Neonatal Brain

“…Based on a single, quantitative, multi-dynamic multiecho (MDME) sequence, the MR data post-processing software SyMRI (Synthetic MR AB, Linköping, Sweden) enables the generation of various MR contrasts, such as T1weighted, T2-weighted, proton density (PD)-weighted, and inversion recovery [13], which bears the potential to reduce examination time [14][15][16]. Moreover, SyMRI allows the generation of quantitative maps, which facilitate the assessment of myelination and brain development [4,14,17]. Using the MDME sequence, tissue-specific parameters, such as T1-relaxation constants, T2-relaxation constants, and PD of the brain, can be acquired in less than 6 min [13,16,[18][19][20][21][22][23][24].…”

Gray Matter Alterations in Early and Late Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Evaluated with Synthetic Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging

“…The MVF, R1, R2, and PD values of the plaques, periplaque WM, and normal-appearing WM were shown to be different, and MVF showed higher sensitivity compared to the other metrics 27,28 . Additionally, in the healthy pediatric population, whole brain myelin volume (MyVol) measured by synthetic qMRI was well-fitted to the maturation curve 29 .…”